Snowmobiling is a Dangerous Sport
- Thread starter Midwest Player
- Start date
A friend of mine drove up on that crash while EMS was on scene, and said it looked real bad.
It seems like there have been more car/truck versus snowmobile than normal this year. Do people just get complacent about crossing roads?
A friend of mine was hit by a truck many years ago, and high snowbanks were a huge factor in that one. Fortunately, he was uninjured, but hearing that crash behind me was a scary feeling. The truck hit the sled just inches ahead of his legs, so he was thrown clear.
It seems like there have been more car/truck versus snowmobile than normal this year. Do people just get complacent about crossing roads?
A friend of mine was hit by a truck many years ago, and high snowbanks were a huge factor in that one. Fortunately, he was uninjured, but hearing that crash behind me was a scary feeling. The truck hit the sled just inches ahead of his legs, so he was thrown clear.
I had 4 sleds blow that same crossing in front of my truck 2 weeks ago it was a close one .
T
Tracker
Guest
Go on the trail and look I believe that location the stop sign just pops up needs to be either moved back or one saying stop ahead at least a block before that intersection or road crossing or something if I'm not mistaken you just fly up on a stop sign
G
G
Guest
Without looking up numbers I would have to guess that accidents, injuries and fatalities are all up in Mich, Wisc and MN for this season. Just because of lots of snow and lots of miles ridden. Unfortunately, Yes. Snowmobiling can be a dangerous sport. Ride defensively. Always be aware that when meeting traffic there is no guarantee they will be on the correct side of the trail. Stop for stopsigns. Things can go wrong in a hurry. These things get going really fast really quickly.
favoritos
Well-known member
We rode through there around that time. We were riding gray light and snowfall. The intersection markers were hard to see. Not really an excuse, but it might surprise some riders. I was riding lead and remember that intersection because it surprised me a little. I used a lot of brake light flashing to warn the group it was a full stop.
T
Tracker
Guest
Yeah that area needs adjusted someone should tell someone that the signs just need one added because I'm a seasoned Rider as well and lead and sometimes it's just the wrong placement of the sign no matter how good you are and the Lesser Riders really have trouble so I would notify that club
sweeperguy
Active member
On trail 3 they need to cover the stop ahead signs where they have the stop signs covered also. 2 between Twin Lakes and Mass, old logging area stop signs?
Don't know why they would cover stop signs and not the stop ahead signs.
T
Tracker
Guest
To fix these sometimes when you see them... I call the Chamber of Commerce in that town and tell them the problem with the trail... if any of you guys can it would be awesome because then next year or later this year it might/will be corrected and be good to go .....maybe we/you save some lives
I think you forgot to say "another one of us" killed.
Can I ask if you are a rider Midwest player?
Bear
POLARISDAN
New member
i tried to stay off this..but i had a beware thread not long ago..i blew one..daytime..look left look right ..ready to jump..luckily no cars..i got a few asblasts..i tried to warn others..had some ridicule about speed..an area i know well..it happens..stop ahead and visible signs matter..be careful with these banks
pd
I can only speak for where I ride in Northern Wisconsin but it seems like the snow piles are higher then usual by road crossings causing you to pull out further to see for oncoming traffic. However, I bet most of these accidents are people not paying attention to the signs and being unaware of the stop sign coming. I also know from my experience some of the stop ahead signs are not very visible right now for many reasons: high snow piles, poor placement or missing. I can only speak for where I ride about at least two stop signs missing stop ahead signs....
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On Friday ( 4-1) I was traveling south on trail 15 into Sugar camp, came around a long bending corner and then "poof" crossed a road at like 30mph.... no sign, no warning... I did the holt sh#t thing. I stopped and went back and found the stop sign buried. I dug it out the best I could but still so much snow, the post the sign is on isn't long enough... I thing the snow plow guy plowed the road earlier that morning and buried the sign....
ICT Sledder
Active member
Unfortunately, it’s not that hard to accidentally blow a stop sign. It’s happened to me a few times, and I’d guess most could say the same. Sometimes the signs are obscured or not really in direct line-of-sight, plus lower traffic road crossings aren’t near as obvious as when coming up on a higher traffic road.
Thank goodness the powers that be left the trail stop signs red, because if they changed those to white like the new trail yield signs then I’d be long dead based on how easy it is to miss those things.
Thank goodness the powers that be left the trail stop signs red, because if they changed those to white like the new trail yield signs then I’d be long dead based on how easy it is to miss those things.
Sounds like this crossing was properly marked, and simply missed. I will state, most of us who ride enough have made this mistake a time or two, and came out without incident. I was riding the past two days near Muni. Two different times I saw signs were missing. I went back both times to looks. One, the sign was turned 90 degrees from the groomer. What it appeared was the drifting was so large, that when the blade was down moving the drift, it was so heavy and large it twisted the sign. I did my best to straighten it, but was still not good. The second sign I could not find due to the deep bank.
I am not saying with this situation deep banks were the problem, but we all know with this wonderful record snowfall we had during Feb. it has also created some dangerous conditions. The photo below, while not is an issue everywhere, shows the issue with banks. If you are riding right now, you know some signs will be covered. And, what I think is almost worse, the trails are narrower and you can't see oncoming traffic. Almost every corner is a blind corner. I did have a group running hot around a 90, well over their 1/2 of the trail. I had no where to go. Couldn't even jump off the sled to my right if I needed to because the bank was so high I would have made it up high enough. We didn't hit, but it was close.
Be careful out there.